SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS PLAN
GUIDANCE AND TEMPLATE
VERSION 3, Brownfields Assessment Projects
R9QA/008.1
August 8, 2012
This Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) guidance and template is intended to assist organizations in documenting the procedural and analytical requirements for Brownfields Assessment projects involving the collection of water, soil, sediment, or other samples taken to characterize areas of potential environmental contamination. It combines, in a short form, the basic elements of a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) and a Field Sampling Plan (FSP). Once prepared and approved it will meet the requirements for any U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 Brownfields project in which environmental measurements are to be taken.
The format is designed to accommodate projects of limited scope and is predicated on the assumption that the work will be going to a laboratory whose analytical services are not funded directly by EPA. This might include, but not be limited to, a private or commercial laboratory, a state laboratory, an in-house laboratory or any other laboratory under contract to the organization writing the SAP. It is intended to be used for projects generating a limited number of samples which will be collected over a relatively short period of time. This template is not intended to be used for on-going monitoring events, or for remediation or removal activities. Exceptions to all of these requirements will be considered on a case-by-case basis, but they should be discussed with Region 9 QA Office staff before the template is used and before the SAP is submitted for approval. This template can be used by state, municipal and local agencies, contractor, non-profit organizations, and by EPA staff.
This guidance is to be used as a templatefor creating a SAP. It provides item-by-item instructions for each section. If the sections are appropriate for the project, they may be used verbatim, or modified as needed to reflect project- and sampling-specific requirements. Not all sections will apply to all organizations or to all projects.
Some sections, such as those describing sampling procedures, contain example language which can be used with or without modification. If these procedures will not meet project needs, the organization can substitute a description of its own sampling procedures or provide copies of its sampling standard operation procedures (SOPs). Other alternatives should be discussed with QA Office staff.
An electronic version of the template is available and can be used to prepare the SAP. The format of the template is as follows:
The following two types of shadedtype are to be deleted from the final SAP:
- Tutorial information is presented in italic type. This information includes definitions and background information pertaining to a given section of the SAP.
- Specific instructions are given inside brackets [in normal type].
Suggested text which may be included in the SAP is presented in normal type. This text can be used, modified, or deleted depending on the nature of the project. For example, if only groundwater will be sampled, delete the discussion of sampling other matrices. If more than one option is presented, pick the appropriate one and delete the others.
If the use of an SOP is appropriate, the SOP should be included as an appendix to the final SAP and referenced in the appropriate section of the SAP.
An underlined blank area ______indicates that text should be added. Examples or choices may be in [brackets] following the blank. If appropriate, select one and delete the others. The underlined area is not meant to imply how much text should be added; only that it is a place that the plan writer should be adding information. Adjust the space provided as necessary to completely address each section. The underlined area should be deleted (i.e., do not underline added text).
If a given section does not apply, it is recommended (but not required) that the section state “Not applicable” or “Does not apply” under the section heading. By not deleting the section, the writer avoids having to renumber sections. However, sections can be removed altogether and the remaining sections renumbered if the organization prefers.
Partially completed example forms are located in Attachment 1. These forms should be deleted from the final SAP.
The U.S. EPA Region 9 Quality Assurance Office is available to provide assistance in completing the SAP. Contact Dr. Eugenia McNaughton at 415-972-3411, or Ms. Gail Morison at 415-972-3807.
DRAFT
Sampling and Analysis Plan for
[Title of Project]
[Address]
[Date]
Prepared for:
[Name of Organization]
[Address]
Prepared by:
[Name of Organization]
[Address]
APPROVAL PAGE
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Approved by: ______
[Grantee Name] Project ManagerDate
Approved by: ______
[ContractorName] Project ManagerDate
Approved by: ______
[Contractor Name]Quality Assurance OfficerDate
Approved by: ______
Project Officer, USEPA Region IX Date
Approved by: ______
Quality Assurance Manager, USEPA Region IXDate
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════
TABLE OF CONTENTS
APPROVAL PAGE
Distribution List
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Site Name or Sampling Area
1.2 Site or Sampling Area Location
1.3 Responsible Agency
1.4 Project Organization
2.0 BACKGROUND
2.1 Site or Sampling Area Description
2.2 Operational History
2.3 Previous Investigations/Regulatory Involvement
2.4 Scoping Meeting
2.5 Geological/Meteorological Information
2.6 Impact on Human Health and/or the Environmental
3.0 PROJECT and DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES
3.1 Project Task and Problem Definition
3.2 Data Quality Objectives (DQOs)
3.3 Measurement Quality Objectives (MQOs)
3.4 Data Review and Validation
3.5 Data Management
3.6 Assessment Oversight
4.0 SAMPLING DESIGN and RATIONALE
4.1 Soil Sampling
4.2 Sediment Sampling
4.3 Water Sampling
4.4 Other Sampling
5.0 REQUEST FOR ANALYSES
5.1 Analyses Narrative
5.2 Analytical Laboratory
6.0 FIELD METHODS AND PROCEDURES
6.1 Field Equipment
6.1.1 List of Equipment Needed
6.1.2 Calibration of Field Equipment
6.2 Field Screening
6.3 Soil Sampling
6.3.1 Surface Soil Sampling
6.3.2 Subsurface Soil Sampling
6.4 Sediment Sampling
6.5 Water Sampling
6.5.1 Surface Water Sampling
6.5.2 Groundwater Sampling
6.5.2.1 Water-Level Measurements
6.5.2.2 Purging
6.5.2.3 Well Sampling
6.6 Other Sampling
6.7 Decontamination Procedures
7.0 SAMPLE CONTAINERS, PRESERVATION, PACKAGING AND SHIPPING
7.1 Soil Samples
7.2 Sediment Samples
7.3 Water Samples
7.4 Other Samples
7.5 Packaging and Shipping
8.0 DISPOSAL OF RESIDUAL MATERIALS
9.0 SAMPLE DOCUMENTATION
9.1 Field Notes
9.1.1 Field Logbooks
9.1.2 Photographs
9.2 Sample Labeling
9.3 Sample Chain-Of-Custody Forms and Custody Seals
10.1 Field Quality Control Samples
10.1.1 Assessment of Field Contamination (Blanks
10.1.1.1 Equipment Blanks
10.1.1.2 Field Blanks
10.1.1.3 Trip Blanks
10.1.1.4 Temperature Blanks
10.1.2 Assessment of Field Variability (Field Duplicate or Co-located Samples
10.2 Background Samples
10.3 Field Screening, including confirmation samples, and Split Samples
10.3.1 Field Screening Samples
10.3.2 Confirmation Samples (Field Screening)
10.4 Laboratory Quality Control Samples
11.0 FIELD VARIANCES
12.0 FIELD HEALTH AND SAFETY PROCEDURES
Distribution List
Add additional names as appropriate.
[Grantee Name, Title]
[Grantee Address]
[Contractor Name, Title]
[Contractor Address]
[Name, USEPA Project Officer]
[Division or Section]
US EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
[Name, USEPA QA Manager]
Quality Assurance Office
US EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Include and define all acronyms and abbreviations used throughout the plan. The following list can be used as a starting point. Add or delete acronyms and abbreviations as appropriate.
ASTMAmerican Society for Testing and Materials
CERCLAComprehensive Environmental Response, Cleanup, and Liability Act
CFRCode of Federal Regulations
CHHSLCalifornia Human Health Screening Levels
CLPContract laboratory program
CWAClean Water Act
DQAData quality assessment
DQIData quality indicators
DQOData quality objectives
EPAU.S. Environmental Protection Agency
ESAEnvironmental site assessment
ESLEnvironmental Screening Levels
FSPField sampling plan
GC/MSGas chromatography and mass spectrometry
IDWInvestigation-derived waste
LCSLaboratory control sample
MDLMethod detection limit
MQOMeasurement quality objective
MS/MSDMatrix spike and matrix spike duplicate
mg/LMilligrams per liter
µg/LMicrograms per liter
PARCCSPrecision, accuracy, representativeness, completeness, comparability, and sensitivity
PEPerformance evaluation
PRGPreliminary remediation goal
PRQLProject-required quantitation limit
QAQuality assurance
QA/QCQuality assurance/quality control
QAPPQuality assurance project plan
QCQuality control
QLQuantitation limit
RCRAResource Conservation and Recovery Act
RPDRelative percent difference
%RPercent recovery
SAPSampling and analysis plan (an integrated FSP and QAPP)
SOPStandard operating procedures
SOWStatement of work
SVOCSemi-volatile organic compound
VOCVolatile organic compound
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This section should include a brief description of the project, including the history, problem to be investigated, scope of sampling effort, and types of analyses that will be required. These topics will be covered in depth later so do not include a detailed discussion here. Include tentative sampling dates.
For Brownfields projects, the type of grant (Assessment, Cleanup, Revolving Loan Fund or 128(a)) should be specified and whether it is for hazardous substancesor petroleum products. Assessment grants should also state whether it is an area-wide or site-specific grant.
1.1 Site Name or Sampling Area
Provide the most commonly used name of the site or sampling area. Also include the name or abbreviation (e.g., “the Site”), if any, that will be used throughout the plan.
1.2 Site or Sampling Area Location
Provide a general description of the region (residential, commercial, light industrial, mixed, etc.), state or tribal area in which the site or sampling area is located. Include street address, city, state, and postal code, if appropriate. Detailed information should be provided later in Section 2.
1.3 Responsible Agency
Provide a description of the organization conducting the sampling.
1.4 Project Organization
Table 1-1 should be completed. Provide the name, phone number and email address of the person(s) and/or contractor working on the sampling project as listed in the table. The table can be modified to include titles or positions appropriate to the specific project. Delete personnel or titles not appropriate to the project. A brief description of the roles and responsibilities for each key position should be included either in the table (as shown) or within the text of this section. An Organization Chart should be included showing the lines of communication. The above information may also be included on the Organization Chart, if appropriate.
It should be noted that it is the responsibility of the Quality Assurance (QA) Officer to oversee the implementation of the Sampling and Analysis Plan (or QA Project Plan if one has been prepare), including whether specified quality control (QC) procedures are being followed as described. Ideally, this individual should discuss QA issues with the Project Manager, but should not be involved in the data collection/analysis/interpretation/reporting process except in a review or oversight capacity. If the project is small, another technical person may fulfill this role.
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Table 1-1 – Key Project Personnel Contact Information and Responsibilities
Title / Name / Phone NumberEmail Address / Responsibilities
EPA Project Manager
EPA Quality Assurance Officer (QAO)
Grantee Project Manager
Contractor Project Manager (include Company Name)
Contractor QAO
Contractor Field Team Leader
Laboratory Quality Assurance Officer (include Laboratory Name)
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2.0 BACKGROUND
This section provides an overview of the location, previous investigations, and the apparent problem(s) associated with the site or sampling area.
2.1 Site or Sampling Area Description
Two maps of the area should be provided: the first, on a larger scale, should place the area within its geographic region; the second, on a smaller scale, should mark the sampling site or sampling areas within the local area. Additional maps may be provided, as necessary, for clarity. Maps should include a North arrow, a surface and/or groundwater directional flow arrow (if appropriate), buildings or former buildings, spill areas, etc. If longitude or latitude information is available, such as from a Global Positioning System (GPS), provide it.
Fill in the blanks.
The site or sampling area occupies ______[e.g., acres or square feet] in a/an ______[e.g., urban, commercial, industrial, residential, agricultural, or undeveloped] area. The site or sampling area is bordered on the north by ______, on the west by ______, on the south by ______, and on the east by ______. The specific location of the site or sampling area is shown in Figure 2.2.
The next paragraph (or set of paragraphs) should describe historic and current on-site structures. These should be shown on one of the figures.
Depending on the nature of the project, some of the following sections may not be applicable. If this is the case, do not delete the section. Instead enter “Not Applicable” or other text to indicate that the section does not apply or that the information is not available.
2.2 Operational History
As applicable, describe in as much detail as possible (i.e., use several paragraphs) the past and present activities at the site or sampling area. The discussion might include the following information:
a description of the owner(s) and/or operator(s) of the siteor areas near the site or sampling area(present this information chronologically);
a description of past and current operations or activities that may have contributed to suspected contamination;
a description of the processes involved in the operation(s) and the environmentally detrimental substances, if any, used in the processes;
a description of any past and present waste management practices.
2.3 Previous Investigations/Regulatory Involvement
Summarize all previous sampling efforts at the site or sampling area, including:
the sampling date(s);
name of the party(ies) that conducted the sampling;
local, tribal, state or federal government agency for which the sampling was conducted;
a rationale for the sampling;
the type of media sampled (e.g., soil, sediment, water);
laboratory methods that were used;
a discussion of what is known about data quality and usability.
The summaries should be presented in subsections chronologically. Attach reports or summary tables of results, or include in appendices, if necessary. See Table 2-1 for an example. Previous sampling locations can be shown on one of the figures, or additional figures can be included.
If results from previous sampling events are being used in a general nature, the results can be summarized (e.g., report the highest hits or the range of the results). If specific results are being used to direct the current sampling effort, those specific results must be reported on an analyte-by-analyte basis.
2.4 Scoping Meeting
Summarize the scoping meeting and/or site visit, including:
the date the meeting was held;
who attended;
what was discussed;
what decisions were made.
If more than one scoping meeting/site visit was conducted, include the above information for each.
2.5 Geological/Meteorological Information
For surface and/or groundwater sampling: Provide a description of the hydrogeology of the area. Indicate the direction of flow and include a directional flow arrow on the appropriate figure.
For soil sampling: Provide a description of the geology of the area.
For air sampling: Provide prevailing wind direction, temperature, etc.
2.6Impact on Human Health and/or the Environmental
Discuss what is known about the possible and actual impacts of the potential environmental problem at the site on human health and/or the environment.
Table 2-1: Contaminants of Concern, Previous Investigations
Matrix = xx
Analytical Parameter (Contaminants of Concern) / Date of sampling / Sampling contractor / Laboratory Analytical Results(units) / Regulatory Limit
(specify)1
1 Specify the source of the regulatory limit(s). For example:
DTSC = Calif. Department of Toxic Substances Control
RWQCB = Regional Water Quality Control Board
PRGs = Preliminary Remediation Goal (2004)
CHHSLs = California Human Health Screening Levels
ESLs = Environmental Screening Levels
3.0 PROJECT and DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES
Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) are qualitative and quantitative statements for establishing criteria for data quality and for developing data collection designs. This section is crucial to SAP approval, since it defines what the data will be used for and what quality of data are needed to make decisions. EPA’sGuidance for Systematic Planning Using the Data Quality Objectives Process (EPA QA/G-4, February 2006)should be consulted for more information. The DQO section should cover the following items:
Concisely describe the problem to be investigated.
Identify what questions theinvestigation will attempt to resolve, what actions (decisions) may result, and who the primary decision maker is.
Identify the information that needs to be obtained and the measurements that need to be taken to resolve the decision statement(s).
Define study boundaries and when and where data should be collected.
Most projects utilizing this template are small. Therefore, defining action levels andmeasurement quality objectives (MQOs) for field and laboratory measurements used on theproject are usually sufficient. MQOs define criteria for calibration and quality control (QC) for field and laboratory methods. MQOs are discussed more thoroughly below.
3.1 Project Task and Problem Definition
Describe the purpose of the environmental investigation in qualitative terms and how the data will be used. Discuss how the site history relates to the problem to be investigated, scope of sampling effort, and types of analyses that will be required. Include all measurements to be made on an analyte specific basis in whatever media (soil, sediment, water, etc.) is to be sampled. This discussion should relate to how this sampling effort will support the specific decisions described in Section 3.2, DQOs, below.
Redevelopment plans, if known, should be included. If the future use of the site is not known, this should be stated.
3.2 Data Quality Objectives (DQOs)
Data quality objectives (DQOs) are quantitative and qualitative criteria that establish the level of uncertainty associated with a set of data. They answer the question: How sure are you that the values of the data are what the analyses have determined them to be? All the elements of the sampling event, from the sampling design through laboratory analysis and reporting, affect the quality of the data. The project manager, or other decision maker identified earlier in the project organization section, must make the decision as to what level of uncertainty is acceptable or appropriate. Depending on what the contaminants of concern are, what effect they may have on human and environmental health, and at what level, data quality may need to be legally defensible or capable of answering only a simple “presence-absence” question. More sophisticated DQO discussions involve defining null testing hypotheses and confidence intervals. These should be considered depending on project decision making needs, but such discussions are generally not expected in one-time event SAPs. (A description of the “Seven Step DQO Process” is included in Attachment A.).